oa) Sight, sound, smell, taste and touch experiences are encouraged through a variety of developmentally appropriate materials and activities

Materials:

dried corn

rice

feathers

bird seed

hot glue gun

pumpkin

Procedure:

Prepare for the activity by creating the sensory pumpkin. Hot glue the different materials onto the sides of the pumpkin. Allow to dry completely.

Place the pumpkin in an appropriate area and invite the child to explore with you.

As they are playing, give them new vocabulary words to describe the textures and materials.

Converse with the child until they tire of the activity.

Note: Please provide appropriate supervision to the children in your care when completing all activities. You will need to decide what types of activities are safe for the children in your care. Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when providing art and sensory experiences for children. Infants require special caution, only use non-toxic materials, and do not allow infants to put things in their mouths that are a choking hazard. ​

Assessment:

Observe and record the child’s reaction to the different textures. Did they attempt to repeat the new vocabulary words back to you? You can take pictures of the activity to share with parents and/or put in the child’s portfolio.